I need help tapering off ativan please?

I have been to different docotrs with so many different opinions, I would like to hear what perhaps someone who has been through it or very knowledgable of it, thinks I should do. A quick overview of my story:I was on 0.5mg every night to sleep for 3 years. My gp gave it to me, and I never knew it was for anxiety. Yes, my ignorance for trusting him. Then 4 monthes ago I had to see a neurologist for a medical issue. Since I was worried about it, and not sleeping well, he upped my ativan to 1mg per night. Every night. At this time I told him I wanted off the Ativan, not more, and he said"its no big deal taking it, and getting off is only going to complicate things right now" So I trusted him. Then, after some tests I had done, lots of tests I should say, looking for reason of my illness, turned out it was a thyroid auto immune illness, but no thyroid meds yet due to blood levels are still fine.Anyways, back to the point, As I was taking the ativan at night, it started to panic me instead of relax me... every night. Doctor called it a unusual paradoxyl effect. Well, at this point it was I'm damned if I do , and damend if I don't. The ativan was speeding me out. Tried the alternatives like klonopin,valium, etc... only made things worse. The thing is, I have never had a issue with an anxiety disorder. I simply don't have one. But now, I am getting rebound anxiety from the ativan and they can't up it because it does the opposaite effect, so getting off of it is my only choice. My neurologist wasn't in agreeance with me, so I went to a psychiatrist in help of getting off of it safely. He chose this route. Put me on ativan 1/4 am, 1/4 lunchtime, and 1/4 dinnertime, and then 15mg remeron so i could sleep. Well the remeron made me sleep, but after being on it now 10 days, I am starting to feel so anxious. Even the quartes of ativan are barely helping. I told the doc, and he said just push through and it will start working. Start working on what? Im not suffering from depression or generalized anxiety disorder. I have ativan withdrawal. He won't LET me get off the Remeron.Well, i am afraid even after 10 days to stop the remeron incase i get withdrawal from that too. I don't know if I could handle withdrawal from ativan and remeron at the same time. Please, my questions are:1.)should i expect withdrawal symptoms from the remeron?2.)is it possible the remeron IS causin the anxiety i am now feeling?3.)HOW do I taper from my current ativan schedule? an 1/8 here and there?please, any help is SO appreciated.thank you!!

Responses (2)

The scale down schedule he gave you sounds reasonable as those small amounts are (or should be) enough to keep withdrawals to a minimum and if he has you on the Remeron why would you go against the orders and stop? This Dr is the one who has the vest access to your situation and based on what you say here he does have a treatment plan in place including reducing the Ativan, something many Drs do not do correctly, this one is. You should stick to this Docs instructions, if you no longer have faith in this Doc, find another one but stay on this Docs instructions until you get direction on how to change. No one here should override what your hands-on resource is recommending. I know it's a tough place to be in, but when we take things into our own hands with these sorts of meds things often get worse, not better.

Anonymous, I know you posted this back in Sept, however, I would like to know how you are doing and if you are now tapered off Ativan completely and was it easy to do? Also, are you still taking the Remeron?